Where is the microphone on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: all locations + instructions for checking

If you notice that the person is not hearing you when you call or voice messages are recorded with interference, the problem may lie in the microphones of your Xiaomi Redmi Note 9. This model has three microphones at once, and each is responsible for its function: the main one for conversations, the additional one for noise reduction and the third one for recording video. But where exactly are they located?

Unlike flagship devices, where microphones can be hidden under decorative grilles, Redmi Note 9 is easy to detect visually — if you know where to look. Not only will we show the exact coordinates of each microphone, but we will also explain how to check their performance without going to the service center, and we will also examine the typical reasons why microphones stop working properly, from banal contamination to software failures.

How many microphones in Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 and what they are responsible for

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 has three microphones, each of which performs its own role.

• 📞 Main microphone - used for telephone conversations and voice calls, located at the bottom of the case.
• 🔊 Second microphone (for noise reduction) - suppresses extraneous noise during calls.
• 🎥 The third microphone (for recording video) is responsible for capturing sound when shooting, located at the top of the back, next to the camera.

This configuration allows the smartphone to provide a clear voice even in noisy environments, for example, when the main microphone picks up your voice while the main microphone picks up your voice, and the second one analyzes background noise and suppresses it, the third microphone is activated only when recording videos or using applications like TikTok or YouTube.

If one of the microphones fails, the problems manifest themselves in different ways:

• 🔇 The interviewer can’t hear you during the call. → malfunctioning main microphone.
• 🎤 There is a strong noise or echo in the recordings → noise-cancellation microphone problems.
• 📹 When shooting video, the sound is recorded quietly or with distortions. → The top microphone is not working.

The exact location of microphones: photos and diagrams

To inspect or clean the microphones yourself, you need to know their location. In the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, they are arranged as follows:

The image below shows the bottom end of the Redmi Note 9, where you can see both microphones for calls (marked by the red arrows). Note that they are under the same decorative grille, but these are two separate holes. The top microphone (for video) is symmetrically positioned on the opposite end.

Important: don't confuse microphones with speaker or pressure sensor holes! The speaker is on the right of USB-C and the microphones are on the left.

How to check the microphones without a service center

Before you carry your phone for repair, make sure the microphones are the problem.

1. Call another phone (or use an app to record conversations) and check how you can be heard. Ask the person to rate the sound quality. If the voice is interrupted or there is interference, there is a problem with the main or second microphone.
2. Open the standard Dictaphone app (or any other audio recording app) and say a few words. Listen to the recording: if the sound is quiet, hissing or distorted, the top microphone (for video) is faulty.
3. Checking through the engineering menu, dial ##4636##, go to Phone Information and select Microphone. This shows the signal strength from each microphone. Talk to the phone - if the band is not responding, the microphone is not working.

If all the tests show problems, try cleaning the microphones (in the next section) and if that doesn't work, it could be a software failure or a physical breakdown.

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Before testing microphones, turn off Bluetooth headphones or headset – they can automatically intercept sound, which will not work on the built-in microphones.

Cleaning microphones: step-by-step instructions

Most often, microphones stop working properly due to pollution: dust, pile from a pocket or moisture clog holes, you can clean them yourself, but you need to do this carefully so as not to damage the membrane.

Toothpick (plastic or wooden)| Soft brush (for example, for drawing)| Alcohol wipes |Fur (at minimum power) |Lupa (optional)

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Cleaning instructions:

1. Turn off the phone – this will prevent accidental button pressing and short circuiting when using alcohol.
2. Look at the microphone holes under good lighting. If you see dirt or dust, start cleaning.
3. Remove large particles: Use a soft brush or toothpick (not metal!) to gently remove debris from the holes. Movements should be light, without pressure.
4. Treat it with alcohol: Drink the toothpick lightly in alcohol (don't drip straight on the phone!) and walk around the edges of the holes. Don't dip the toothpick deep - just clean the outside.
5. Dry: Use a dryer at minimum power (cold air) or leave the phone for 10-15 minutes to dry naturally.

⚠️ Warning: Never use cotton swabs, needles or metal objects to clean your microphones, which can damage the membrane or break the grille. Also avoid liquids: if alcohol gets inside the case, it can cause contact corrosion.

Programmatic causes of non-functioning microphones

If the microphones are clean, but the problems remain, the software may be to blame.

• 📱 Failure in the firmware - after the update MIUI Microphones may stop working due to driver errors.
• 🔇 Disabled permissions – some apps (such as WhatsApp or Zoom) require separate access to the microphone.
• 🎛️ Incorrect sound settings - in MIUI There is an option called “Improving voice” that sometimes distorts the sound.
• 🦠 Viruses or malware – some programs can block access to the microphone.

How to fix software problems:

1. Reboot your phone – trivial, but often helps with temporary crashes.
2. Check permissions: Go to Settings → Applications → Permissions Management → Microphone and make sure that the right programs are allowed access.
3. Reset your sound settings: In Settings → Sound and Vibration → Additionally, turn off the voice enhancement option and check if the sound quality has changed.
4. Update your firmware: Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update and install the latest version of MIUI.
5. Reset to factory settings (extreme): If nothing helps, back up the data and reset to Settings → Additional → Restore and Reset.

⚠️ Note: If the microphones stopped working after a phone drop or moisture hit, software methods will not help - here you need a diagnosis in the service center.

Frequent questions about the microphones in the Redmi Note 9

We have collected answers to the most popular questions of users Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 about microphones:

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If the microphones stopped working after the MIUI update, try rolling back the firmware or waiting for the next patch – often these problems are fixed in new versions.